Epstein: ‘Don’t Forsee’ Scenario To Promote Bryant In ’14

(CBS) As elite Cubs third base prospect Kris Bryant impressed with a home run in his Triple-A debut on Thursday night, the always-lingering question was posed to Cubs president Theo Epstein on Friday for the latest update.

Any chance Bryant gets the big league call-up this season?

The answer — as it’s been for so long — is most likely no.

“I don’t foresee a scenario where he would be up this year,” Epstein said, according to the Chicago Tribune. “I don’t think it’s the right thing to do for someone in his first full professional season, barring extraordinary circumstances both with respect to the player and what’s going on with the big league club. I think it would be a tremendous accomplishment to dominate Double A the way he did the first half of the season and go to Triple A and continue his development, stay healthy all year, be productive all year.”

The Cubs’ top pick in the 2013 draft, Bryant just got promoted to Triple-A Iowa after hitting .355 with 22 homers and 58 RBIs in 68 games at Double-A Tennessee.

In an interview with the McNeil and Spiegel Show on Friday, 670 The Score baseball insider Bruce Levine talked about the timeline for Bryant. You can listen below.